Nigeria's corruption deeply entrenched since military regimes, analysis argues

Nigeria's struggle with high-level corruption is not a recent phenomenon but a deeply entrenched issue dating back to its military regimes, according to an analysis. The article points to the era of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida as a period when corruption was officialized, institutionalized, and liberalized, becoming deeply embedded in the nation's fabric.

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We [the military] are not corrupt. I will proudly say it because what I read in the papers, if it is true, then I think I used to say we are saints.

Evidence of this systemic corruption is substantial. Reports indicate that between 1960 and 1999, top-level Nigerian public officials allegedly stole over $400 billion, with some estimates reaching $582 billion. While Switzerland, the United States, and the United Kingdom have repatriated over $1 billion in looted funds in various phases, this represents only a fraction of the vast sums siphoned off.

The analysis highlights specific instances, such as the Pius Okigbo Panel's 1994 findings that $12.2 billion from an oil price windfall was spent outside the national budget framework without legislative approval. This lack of accountability fueled corruption under regimes like those of Babangida, Sani Abacha, and Abdulsalam Abubakar, leading Nigeria to be widely perceived as a symbol of corruption.

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I sacked a governor for ₦300,000. Today, there are ₦300,000 billion, still not issued, not solved.

Even former UK Prime Minister David Cameron famously described Nigeria as "fantastically corrupt." While corruption has escalated significantly since 1999, the article argues that the foundational issues were laid during the military dictatorships. The author contends that the current political class, characterized as "lumpen politicians," lacks the capacity or will to effectively address this pervasive problem and rebuild the nation.

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fantastically corrupt